LMNX Ventures

Founder ∙ 2024-present

Mentoring, investing in, and experimenting with new ventures and experiments at the intersection of design and social impact. I rank founder spirits/mentalities higher than financials.

BluOne

Head, Design and Strategy ∙ 2019-present

BluOne has been a space for experiments and evolution, including exploring how and why I did whatever I was a part of.

1. Head - Experience Design
Started with setting up and leading a team of Designers to create human-centered Product and Brand experiences. At peak, this team was ~40 people. Bulk of our work was for US healthcare, but decent work was done for other geographies and industries too. Designers here were not just visual designers; we were trying to cultivate higher-order thinking.
One of the high-stakes assignments was to revamp how the HR division worked (we named it ‘Talent’ or ‘People’ division), for which a small team re-looked at everything from communication and workflows to responsibilities and purpose.

2. Head - Growth
A combination of Research, Content, Design, and Marketing modeled on the concept of Growth Hacking. Started with serving internal needs, but as more ventures sprung up within the group, this mixed group of generalists and specialists required expanding their thinking and application. The teams worked across Search, Social, Email, Messaging, Ad, and Offline channels.
Taking inspiration from the principles of Exponential Organisations, a small ‘RED’ team was curated to build a culture of entrepreneurial speed and delivery, with the focus of (a) making significant improvements in the existing business verticals and (b) conceiving new business verticals within the BluOne group. It was conceived as a Special Ops unit (send them anywhere, and they’d come back achieving the desired results).

3. Head, Mentor, Investor - New Ventures
The Growth Designers did help start five new ventures and a few digital products, which we internally incubated and supported through cash and non-core services other than our ecosystem’s strengths. This was both the most exciting period of getting something new done and the time with the most hard-hitting learnings.

Earthr.org

CoEarthr/Cofounder ∙ May 2018 to Jan 2019

Led operations, collaborations, research, strategy, and sensitisation at this nonprofit foundation to crowdsource Sustainability-related Problems, Solutions, Entrepreneurs, and Investors.

• Designed an online platform that attracted 100+ Problems, 350+ Solutions, and 100+ people globally; solutions were also offered towards PM Narendra Modi's Self4Society initiative.

• Country Partner for Veganuary India 2019, a month-long celebration of veganism in January.

• Addressed 5,000+ people from schools, colleges, startups, and corporations about issues like climate change, inequalities, education, energy crises, etc.

• Hosted events like Sensitisation Sessions, Planet Meets, Movie Screenings, Entrepreneurship Talks, etc., in three Indian cities.

Yellow Cursor

Founder and CEO ∙ Jan 2012 to Nov 2017

Yellow Cursor was founded to integrate improved design, interfaces, experiences and psychology with eLearning, eTeaching and eAssessments for Engineering education (primarily because I couldn't practically relate to most of what was taught in my classes).

In 2016, Yellow Cursor was transformed from an Education-focussed company to a Design-focussed company. With research-driven, human-centered design, we helped served 50+ brands and 10+ social causes express themselves and connect with their audiences visually, in the process making YC one of the most sought design firms of the region.

Key Initiatives / Projects / Experiments:

• Launched nRays, India's first 48-hour Design Thinking Hackathon. [2017]

• Started Paper and Ink Centre for Design (PICD), a tiny school for Design and Design Thinking. [2016]

• Organised Hack Your Waste (Chandigarh), a design thinking event based on the OpenIDEO framework for raising awareness and finding solutions for optimum usage of surplus food and reduce food wastage. [2016]

• Cofounded Siyaahi, a not-for-profit initiative to inform & inspire people about the cultural, intellectual, and creative importance of handwriting. [2015-16]

• Ink Chacha, printing-as-a-service [2015]

• BookBarter.in, an online platform to buy/sell old books [2012]

Wipro

Project Engineer ∙ Oct 2010 to Jan 2012

Component Design Engineer - VLSI

Chitkara University

Project Head, EDnxt (Beta) ∙ Jun 2010 to Oct 2010

Created and successfully launched a beta edition of ‘EDnxt’, aiming at introduction of CBTs and ILTs in Engineering Classrooms.